A Mask Can Only Get You So Far
by Aliaslisa
Summary: Dragon Age Inquisition: Evelyn Trevelyan and Sera spots Commander Cullen Rutherford lurking in the early morning hours. Question's like "where's he going" and "who's he with" surfaces. The ladies ask Scout Harding to assist them in unveiling the truth. Additional cameos from Varric Thetras , Iron Bull and Dorian Pavus. Humor and shenanigans awaits Skyhold in this fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

I love Dragon Age Inquisition; the only thing the game lacks is more Cullen... aaaannd Cullen/Dorian bromance moments, aaaand Scout Harding (she's just so darn cute!) Here's my attempt to rectify that.

One thing, I'm Norwegian; so B(io)ware of a few grammatical errors here and there.

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Dragon Age franchise

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PART 1

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Sera and Evelyn sat on the roof outside Sera's window. It was late in the evening – or rather early in the morning if one had gone to bed at a decent time.

The elf and the leader of the inquisition had ended up in a drinking contest with Varric and Iron Bull earlier that day. Lady Trevelyan had surprised them all – even herself – by outdrinking a qunari twice her size. Varric promised to tell the tale if he made it to the morning, which he very well might not seeing as he fell asleep on the tavern floor spooning the Bull.

The women laughed loudly as they relived the story while enjoying a nightcap. It was a cool morning and the sun was slowly rising in the distance. Evelyn was glad she had a few days off before they had to depart for the ball in Halamshiral. It had been a long time since she had attended any fancy gatherings – not since her parents shipped her off to the Ostwick Circle of Magi.

Not that she could blame them for abiding to the law – nor did she want to.

Unlike other mages, she had enjoyed her time in the Circle. The very place where other mages had felt like confined prisoners, had felt like a sanctuary in her case. Had she not possessed magical abilities, she would have been long married to a man, she undoubtedly wouldn't have chosen for herself. Now she was free to choose whom to love, and she had someone in sight.

As if the Maker himself had read her mind, she felt a nudge in her side, "Ev look! Isn't that your Cully-Wully!" the elf half-screamed in excitement as she pointed at a figure walking across the bridge from the Commander's quarters to Skyhold's main building.

Evelyn squinted her eyes to see better, the alcohol heavily affected her vision. "I'm not sure, who's he walking with?" she said in an annoyed tone.

"No-one, he's by himself! You're really drunk ain't you?" the elf teased.

There was no point in denying it, "of course I am!" Evelyn said as she took another sip of her nightcap. She scoffed, as if anyone could be sober after winning a drinking contest. "I wonder what he's doing so early in the morning."

"Maybe he's looking to pork you, you're like a thing right?"

The nightcap went straight out her mouth when she heard the word "pork". She snorted as she laughed, and shook the beverage off her hand. Evelyn watched as Cullen entered the keep. She shook her head and leaned back to rest on the wall. "I'm… not sure, what we are…"

It was true; she had no clue on the status of their relationship. He had caught her attention early on, she had even asked if he'd taken the Templar vows at Haven – which he had not – but she was too shy to take matters further. She had only had one other crush in her life, a Templar she had known in the Ostwick Circle. _'What's with these good-looking Templars?"_

Sera jolted her back to reality, "hey, you awake?" the elf shook her in the arm. Without even noticing, Evelyn had closed her eyes and fallen asleep for a moment.

"Yeah I'm fine," she rubbed her eyes. "I think it's time for me to retire to my quarters."

"You want me to follow you back?" Sera offered.

"Nah, I'm sure I'll make it on my own,"

Sera grabbed her arm, "look! He's coming back!"

"I really think it's time to sleep," Evelyn said as she rubbed her eyes again, "there's four of him now..."

"Maybe you're right about that sleeping, 'cuz that's two to many." Sera grinned, "but really, he's walking with someone."

"Can you see who it is?"

Sera squinted her eyes, "I would usually. But I'm too drunk to see clearly. Cullen is easy to spot because of his pauldron, but the other one's too hard to tell." She turned to Evelyn, "I've got an idea though," she said as she grinned. She let herself slip to the end of the roof.

"Be careful now Sera. Your bow will be pretty lonely if you break your arm."

"Yeah, yeah mum, I'll be careful."

Surely enoug; the elf fell down from the roof as soon as she said she would be fine.

Evelyn could hear a loud 'thump' followed by an "auch". She carefully slid down to see if her friend was all right. To her amusement, Sera had broken her fall by landing on top of Scout Harding.

The dwarf rubbed her head while the elf laughed frantically next to her.

The Inquisitor had a hard time keeping her features in check. "How fare thee this morning, Scout Harding?" she procured courteously.

"It was a splendid morning until it started raining elves."

"Awful weather these days. Skies filled with dragons, deamons and elves, what will be next? Well at any rate, while you're here; could you do me a favor?"

"It depends; does the favor involve bashings to the head? Because I think I've had my daily fill off that by now."

"Oh it's nothing of the sorts. I was just wondering if you could be a dear and _scout_ who's walking out the gate with Commander Cullen?"

Harding didn't even bother to glance, "there's no need for that Inquisitor. He's lurking about with Dorian, they meet quite often during this time of the day"

Sera snickered on the ground, "maybe I was wrong. Maybe the Commander was looking to pork Dorian instead!"

Evelyn felt a stab in her gut. That couldn't be right could it? She wasn't exactly experienced in the field of love, but she would surely have noticed if the commander… swung in another direction? She shook her head in disbelief, "do you know what they do together?"

"I'm not sure," Harding gave her a sly smile, "but I've been dying to find out for myself."

* * *

The three ladies followed the Commander and the mage out the gate, across the bridge and to a little cabin close to the entrance. Evelyn had never noticed the small structure before, even though she frequently ventured past it. But then again, even Scout Harding had neglected to notice it until now.

They crouched under a window. Evelyn's stomach turned when she heard manly grunts from within. It weakened her resolve. "Take a peek Sera," she pleaded.

"No way, like I would want to see two men porking each other! You do it Harding!" she nudged the dwarf next to her.

"Okay," Harding said and promptly shot up. She started to blush when she realized she seemed a little too eager see what was going on. "I mean, I'll take a look… it's not like I'm interested…" she cut herself off as she clutched the windowsills and let out an annoyed sigh.

"What is it? What do you see?" Sera demanded

"They're dancing…" she said in a defeated tone.

"Don't sound so disappointed when you say that!" Evelyn popped up next to her to get a look for herself. True enough, the Commander of the Inquisition was dancing with Dorian Pavus. "Looks like Dorian's teaching Cullen to dance."

"I'm not disappointed that they're not naked." Harding promptly replied !It's just… I'm a great dancer, Cullen should have asked me for help."

"He's not very good at it is he?" Sera chimed in as she popped up next to Evelyn.

"It's a hard dance to master," Evelyn contemplated. She knew the waltz Dorian was teaching Cullen, it was the very last one she'd mastered before her magical abilities had shown at age eleven. She'd never gotten to preform it before she was shipped off to the Circle.

"It's not that Cullen's bad at it," Harding added. "But Dorian is leading the waltz, it will be extremely hard for the Commander to do it properly at Halamshiral if he doesn't get to practice with a woman.

"So he's doin' the lady parts?"

"Pretty much," Harding responded.

"You know the dance Ev?"

"Yeah, but it's been a long time since I did it, it'll take some practice."

"Then you should go and help him, he'll look like a buffoon. He's good lookin' and all, don't get me wrong; but he'll be the laughing stock of the party at this rate."

"And how do you suggest I go about with this, should I just burst in and offer my help?"

"No, then they'll know we followed them! Think of a natural excuse, like you're out for a piss or something, then you noticed them entering the cabin or whatever."

"How's me taking a piss in the mountains a natural excuse?"

"I dunno, say you're into nature and shite."

Evelyn shook her head before she snuck to the side and stood up next to the window. She stretched her arms and legs.

"What're you doin'?"

Evelyn sighed. "You're right though; someone's got to teach the Commander how to dance properly. If a leader of the Inquisition can't lead properly, it would reflect poorly on me… the leader." She shook her head, "wow… how many times did I use the word 'leader' there?"

"About a million."

"I'm still pretty drunk."

It didn't matter though, if anything, the alcohol made her braver.

She had tried _modest in temper_; it was time to go_ bold in deed_.

"What will you say?"

"I'll wing it."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the review Chiyo2323! I DO know what you mean ;))) Trust me, I've entertained the though of them together! (Wow, that sounded dirtier than it should have!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age

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2

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_The Commander of the Inquisition; a Hopeless Tale of a Hopeless Dancer_ – By Varric Tethras. That was the name of the soon-to-be masterpiece of the dwarven storyteller. It had seemed like an insignificant joke at the time, just a friendly jest thrown his way by the fireplace.

Cullen had just walked by Varric in the main hall one evening; nothing out of the ordinary there. He was a polite man, and would always stop to exchange a couple of words with his acquaintances. Little did he know that this act of common curtesy, would lead to a whole series of uncomfortable situations.

The dwarf had humorously inquired if the Commander – or rather 'Curly' as he called him – "anticipated a lot of desperate dance-partners throughout the evening at Halamshiral." Cullen was used to these friendly banter with the dwarf, and confined to him that he didn't expect much floor time – for he had never learned to dance.

Just his luck that Josephine would walk past them at the exact moment Varric jokingly announced the title of his new book.

Cullen had never been at the right place at the right time…

* * *

The ambassador dragged him to her office. There she strongly _suggested_ that the commander undertook dance lessons. He managed to calm her by claiming that dancing wasn't a necessary requirement for a soldier. The matter had seemed resolved by the end of their discussion.

Maker's breath had he been wrong...

By their next strategy meeting at the War Table, Josephine had recruited Leiliana to her cause. The women declared that they would not give him intel on any matter; he would only get information after he agreed to learn how to maneuver the dance floor. It was a bold bluff to be sure; but Cullen knew they wouldn't rest until he agreed to their demands. A good general knew when to back down after all.

He was glad that the Inquisitor had departed for the Hinterlands earlier that morning; the spectacle put on by Leliana and Josephine would have been to awkward to handle in front of _her._

To be completely honest, he didn't want her to know that he couldn't dance. He'd never given the activity much thought. Not until Leliana _kindly_ pointed out that noble women enjoyed a _skillful_ dance-partner; heavily emphasizing the words 'noble women'.

Like most people with eyes, the spymaster had caught on to his little crush. It was only natural that she would use that sensitive information to her advantage; she had not gained her role in the Inquisition by being modest.

Both Leliana and Josephine offered to be his partner, but the thought of their whispers and snickers during advisor meetings made it impossible for him to accept. He foresaw a sore neck with little to no hair from frantic rubbing in a hopeless endeavor to calm himself.

He would have asked Cassandra to teach him, but she was off with the Inquisitor. So was his second choice – First Enchanter Vivienne. They had gone to procure a lost tome for the First Enchanter, and there was no way to know when they would be back at Skyhold. He'd also heard that Scout Harding was a capable partner, but she was off to the Forbidden Oasis.

The only other member of the Inner Circle who was capable enough to teach him, was none other than Dorian Pavus.

* * *

It took Cullen two days to muster enough bravery to ask Dorian for help.

As he'd suspected, he found the mage in the library. Dorian usually busied himself with literature if he wasn't needed elsewhere. He was now seated in a corner by himself.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"No need to worry dear commander, I was just finishing up a book Lady Cassandra borrowed me," he lifted the cover so Cullen could read the title _Swords and Shields._

In attempt to make the request seem a little more… organic. Cullen attempted to start a conversation by sking if the book was any good.

The Tevinter snorted, "hardly! I feel dumber for reading it." He shook his head and closed it, letting it rest on his lap. "I can't fathom why she would enjoy such a tale."

"What's it about?"

"To put it nicely; it's a _love _story. A filthy one."

"Oh," was all Cullen could reply. He didn't know that Cassandra had… such interests.

"Seems like Lady Pentaghast is a great fan of Varric's work," Dorian continued. "I absolutely must inform him of it when I get the chance to." He put the book on the table next to his chair, "but I'm sure you're not here to join my book club. Did you want something Commander?"

Cullen reached for the back of his neck, nervously rubbing it. "I was wondering… if you would teach me how to dance?" Cullen's eyes wandered from Dorian's corner and up to the rookery. How anyone could concentrate with birds flapping above them was beyond him. He was glad that he had his own office. Though he'd preferred a better sleeping quarter; preferably one without a big hole in the ceiling.

"Well of course Commander!" Dorian exclaimed with a sly grin. "The Lady Ambassador stopped by the other day and said you would request this from me. I had expected to meet with you that same evening, but you never came by. Why is that?"

The commander gave him a quick glance before he answered, "I've been very busy. There's a lot to be done with Skyhold. The trebuchets' in dire need of an adjustment."

"I'm sure the trebuchets' kept you plenty busy, dear Commander." Dorian winked. "When do you want to start?"

"I want this to stay private between the two of us. I'll… come and get you at dawn; I know a place we can practice undisturbed."

"Don't worry Commander. I'll keep it our little secret; we don't want to embarrass you in front of your ladylove"

Cullen could feel the tip of his ears turn red, "how did you know!?"

Dorian let out an exasperated sigh while rolling his eyes, "oh you know mages like me! We do this nifty little trick where we use our eyes to observe those around us."

"Point taken."

* * *

Nearly a week went by without much progress. Dorian had managed to teach Cullen a simple waltz, but it wouldn't be enough to impress anyone at Halamshiral, nor the Inquisitor.

The waltz they were now working on was highly advanced; it required complicated spins and several lifts. Cullen would step on Dorian's feet whenever the mage let him lead – and it always resulted in Dorian making loud grunts of agony.

Cullen had expected to be finished by now – teaching a soldier to dance was no easy task.

Not that Cullen felt like a soldier anymore. He had to remove his armor in order to move better, he felt almost naked with nothing but a white cotton shirt and brown linen pants covering his body. To make matters worse, Dorian had taken the lead in order to teach the Commander the proper steps.

He had half a mind to call the whole thing off, but he'd overheard a conversation between Varric and Lady Evelyn. Evelyn was apparently anxious to attend the ball, and she had admitted that she would very much like to dance.

"Watch it Commander!" Dorian barked at him.

Cullen noticed that he'd yet again stepped on the toes of his dance master. "Oh, my apologies," he said and let go of Dorian.

The mage waved him off. "I think it's time we took a little break. You're not focused enough to learn anything right now," he said while massaging his temple.

"Maybe your right," he sighed. Cullen sat down on a wooden box and burrowed his face in his hands. "Maybe I'm unteachable."

Dorian walked up next to him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder, "I don't think you're unteachable… but I _do_ think you're not comfortable enough to dance with a man."

"No Dorian, don't think that I'm," the mage cut him off.

"It's quite all right Commander. I know you're not uncofertable with _my situation_; but I do think you're having a hard time leading a man. Especially one who's such a marvelous dancer as myself."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I think you should ask Cassandra or Vivienne for help, they surely know their way around the dance floor. Vivienne especially, she live for those sort of things."

The thought of switching teachers hadn't occurred to him. Both Vivienne and Cassandra returned with the Inquisitor a couple of days ago; but he'd enjoyed spending time with Dorian and had totally forgot that they were great dancers.

The events in Cullen's life had made it hard for him to make friends along the way; but he felt that he could call this particular mage a true friend. It was a somewhat surreal experience to be able to trust a mage to this extent. Not to mention that Evelyn herself was a mage, and yet he saw the people behind the magical powers – not the pre-abominations Knight Commander Meredith had though him to fear.

Cullen stood up, "maybe you're right." He let his hands down and met Dorian's brown gaze, "I want to thank you for your effort." He stood up and shook the mages hand.

The commander was about to put on his armor when soft knocks on the cabin door filled the room. They gave each other confused looks before Dorian called to the person on the other side.

"Who is it?"

"It's me Dorian, may I disturb?" the Inquisitor's voice echoed through the door.

"You may enter Evelyn!" Dorian gave the commander a sly grin, "I think I just solved your partner issue."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age

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Part 3

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To think that assisting the Inquisitor in Redcliffe would lead up to this event. Dorian had no idea his day would get _this_ delicious when he woke up this morning.

He might have fainted of excitement when Lady Evelyn knocked on the door, for now he got to forcefully make two lovesick puppies dance with each other. The awkward silence between the Commander and the Inquisitor was nothing but fun to observe. As an added bonus, the Inquisitor was drunk out of her mind – and the Commander too nervous to notice.

It would be a splendid day to be sure

* * *

Lady Evelyn claimed she had just happened by the cabin when she went out for a walk; she said something about "submitting to nature's call". The Inquisitor had the distinct smell of alcohol in her breath, and Dorian highly suspected that she might have noticed them from the tavern – the muffled laughs from Sera and Harding outside, strengthened his suspicion.

Dorian offered her some mint-flavored elfroot leaves. He believed that it was imperative that a gentleman always had a good breath, and never left home without. He knew the commander would be uncomfortable with her drunk, but Dorian thought it would be funnier to have them dance if she was under the influence.

Whit much luck, she might even accidentally confess her feelings; that would be truly delicious to witness.

Observing the two of them dance was greater fun than Dorian had expected. It was like watching two insecure baby birds try to flap their way out of the nest for the first time. The commanders face had turned a shade of red Dorian had never witnessed in another human being, he looked more like a ripe strawberry than a man by this point.

The Inquisitor fared no better. It was obvious that she knew the steps to the waltz, but the alcohol in her body made it hard to execute the moves properly. She was too embarrass to look Cullen in the eyes, which made their frame even more difficult to maintain.

As an added pleasure, Dorian had forced Sera and Harding to make up for the tense silence in the room. He let the elf and the dwarf know that he knew of their presence. He pointed out to the pair that it was rude to spy on people, and then he promptly suggested they make up for it by singing for the couple – they needed music to go with the dance after all.

Harding stood for the majority of the entertainment, Sera mostly knew drinking chants and they weren't exactly compatible with the dance style. She did however hum to Harding's words, and it didn't sound as terrible as Dorian had hoped.

He wasn't a particularly pious man, but he praised the Maker for letting him be a part of this scene. He wished that Varric had been here to witness it with him; the recount of the dwarf would have been an enjoyable read to possess.

As Dorian had suspected, the presence of Lady Evelyn improved the Commander's dancing, but he had to do something about the grim expression in Cullen's face. Some light conversation would surely ease his features.

"Do you know much about high society, Commander?"

Cullen raised an eyebrow, "_sadly_, I do not. My only interaction with nobles have been in line of duty."

"Well you see, _Commander_," Dorian's mouth twitched into a little smirk, "it's not uncommon for a gentleman to pay compliments to his dance partner."

The Commander met Dorian's eyes with a serious glare, "is that _so?_" he said through his teeth, trying to hide his irritation.

"Oh yes! Don't you agree Lady Travelyan."

The question made Evelyn freeze mid-turn, "eh… well…" she shyly glanced at Cullen before she got obsessively interested in her own feet. "It's not uncommon to _converse_ while dancing."

Dorian thought it was wonderful thar Evelyn had dared to agree, now he could force the Commander to talk with her. "You _do_ want to blend in, don't you Commander?" he asked sheepishly. "The Orlesians are all about their compliments and hidden agenda. Why don't you give it a try?"

Cullen rubbed the back of his neck, "well… um… I like your eyes."

Evelyn's face turned a dark shade of red, "oh... uhm, thanks" she managed to mumble.

"Very good Commander, but I would have sounded more believable if you had looked into her eyes when you said it. Why don't you try that again while you look into each others eyes?"

Sera snickered at Dorian's suggestion and added one of her own, "you should really practice it while dancing."

Dorian nodded in agreement. He clapped his hands together, "now do it from the top!"

The Commander placed his right hand on Evelyn's waist, and took her right hand in his left. Dorian counted down and Sera started to hum while Harding sang. He looked deep into the inquisitor's eyes and repeated the compliment he'd previously given her. His voice seemed to force the Words, but his eyes conveyed the truthness of his statement.

"Excellent work you to! Why don't you try to make conversation," Dorian chimed in from the sideline.

"Ummm…" the Inquisitor mumbled, trying to form a coherent sentence.

"Don't look down Lady Evelyn; remember to keep your frame," he added strictly.

The direction he gave made it impossible for her to look away from Cullen's face. She mostly kept her gaze at his chin – he was a head taller than her after all – but she occasionally dared to look him in his eyes.

"Where did you learn to dance?" the Commander finally inquired - after Dorian kindly remindning him to do so - with an awkward smile.

"My mother made me take dance lessons when I was younger. She said it was important for young ladies to know the waltz if one wanted to procure a prospectable husband. I hated it at first, but it grew on me as I improved. I haven't danced since before I left for the Circle of Magi."

Dorian had hoped her lengthy answer would tempt the conversation further. She had given him a lot of options to pick from, but Cullen only nodded at her response.

The lack of response made Evelyn give it another try "did you… have you… I mean, was there much to do at Skyhold after we departed?"

The Commander traced the roof with his eyes as he thought about his week, "I had the trebuchet's adjusted."

"Well that's… a progress."

"It's important to have well-attuned trebuchets."

_'__What's with this man and the damn trebuchets?!'_ Dorian internally screamed. He had half a mind to smack the man in the back of his head, the girl was _clearly_ in want of real conversation, yet the Commander chose to talk about work.

Of course, her only response was to smile. How would a noble woman turned mage of the Circle know anything about war machines, and _how_ would it have been an effective conversation booster? It was hardly a worthy discussion topic while dancing…

* * *

An hour passed without much conversation between them. Cullen would apologize if he stepped on Evelyn's toes, and she would assure him that she was 'fine' and 'ok'.

"I think we're done for the day," Dorian tiredly announced, breaking the silence. Harding had long stopped singing due to her hoarse throat, and Sera had passed out. Both Cullen and Evelyn were visibly tired; Evelyn looked especially worn-out.

There was no use in waking the elf. Evelyn boasted that she'd be able to carry her – on her own – back to Skyhold, but Dorian wanted her to stay behind so he could have a word with her. Cullen swooped Sera up in his arms and promised to take her back safely. Harding helped him by carrying his equipment back.

Dorian made sure that the Commander was halfway across the bridge before he turned to the Inquisitor.

"Now that we're alone my dear Lady; I want to discuss something important with you."

Evelyn rubbed her eyes, "do you mind if we take this conversation outside?"

"Not at all, why?"

She ran out of the cabin before he got his answer, but the sound of her belching made it apparent that her body was relieving itself of the toxins. He waited for a moment before he followed her out.

Dorian found her sitting on a log with her head between her knees. "You alright there Lady Trevelyan?"

"Never better _Lord Pavus_" she answered sarcastically, giving him the thumbs up.

He snorted, "you don't have to call me Lord Pavus, Dorian's just fine."

"The same goes for you then," she lifted her head and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "What did you want to talk with me about?"

Dorian was about to sit down next to her when she promptly shot up and suggested they walk back to the keep. The stench of her sick reached his nostrils, and he agreed it would be best.

Evelyn was too weak to walk on her own, the dancing had strained her remaining energy and it looked as if she would pass out at any given moment. Dorian supported her across the bridge; they were nearly at the end of it when he finally spoke up.

"He likes you."

"What's that?"

"The Commander, he likes you."

She raised her eyebrows, "you really think so?"

"Surely you're not that dense. You _know_ he likes you."

Evelyn shook her head, "no… I _thought_ he might like me, but he haven't paid me any attention since I returned to Skyhold. Except for today, I haven't talked to him since the debriefing… not that we talked much now either."

"Try to see it from his perspective. You're the Herald of Andraste and the leader of the Inquisition; you can see how that's kind of intimidating?"

"I'm more timid than intimidating if I do say so myself."

"And he's just as timid, if not more."

She sighed, "maybe you're right?"

Dorian scoffed, "I'm _always_ right my dear!"

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

"Just tell him how you feel."

"I'll might have to continue this bender if that's ever to happen."

"You should consider that when you wake up. You might not ever want to drink again after this."

They reached the stairs up to the keep, "I'm pretty sure I never want to drink ever again when I wake up."

Dorian stopped and gave her a supportive smile "You should tell him soon. Once we depart for Halamshiral, there will be no time to talk about it in private. You should have the matter resolved before we leave; the Orlesian Court will eat him alive if he's single." He gave her a wink "or I might devour him myself."

She snorted, "I'll think about it," and gave him a weak, yet cheerful, smile. "Thanks Dorian."

"No need to mention it. What am I but a handsome and humble servant of love?"

She gave him a kiss on the cheek, "you're especially humble."

"You know me, I'm not one to brag, perfect human specimens doesn't have to do so. Are you well enough to reach your quarters on your own? I have business with Cassandra and I would hate to keep her waiting."

"I've waded through a freezing blizzard on my own, I think I'll manage," she joked.

* * *

My intention when I started this fic was to keep the POV with the Inquisitor and Cullen, but now I kind of want to play with the characters around them too see how they experience the relationship. I really don't want to rehash the story too much, I've got my game to relive that tale forever.

What are your thoughts? I was thinking about doing it from Sera's perspective next time, I suspect she'll wake up with a massive hangover.

Aaaaaaaand thank you so much for the kind reviews! I'll continue to write this fic 'til you get sick of it and make me stop!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age

* * *

Part 4

* * *

Sera jolted out of her dream when she hit the tavern floor. The elf opened her eyes and met with Cullen's bewildered face.

"Some gentleman you are!" Sera growled and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

The Commander gave her an apologetic smile and offered his hand, "I'm sorry Sera. I didn't mean to drop you; are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine," she let Cullen drag her up to her feet "I'm still too plastered to notice pain; best hope I don't remember this when I wake up, I might want to retaliate."

He raised his eyebrows, "wait, you're intoxicated?"

"Well obviously, or I'll never let you carry me to my room now would I?" She stretched her arms and looked around the tavern. She noticed the sleeping males beneath one of the tables. Cullen was about to respond with another question when Sera interrupted him by laughing like a maniac. "I had totally forgottem about those two!"

"I must confess the sight of them caught me off guard." He studied Varric and Iron Bull sleeping together, the dwarf's right arm wrapped around Bull's shoulder.

"No wonder you dropped me," Sera snickered.

"What happened here?"

"This Commander! This is the latest victory of our dear Lady Inquisitor."

He furrowed his brow, "what do you mean?"

"Well, she might look like a proper lady and all, but she drinks like a sodding sailor she does," Sera grinned. "She outdid both Bull and Varric, and kept going after they passed out." She bounced over to the table. "You're not equipped with an inkpot are you?"

"_Unfortunately _I'm not," he said in a serious tone and crossed his arms. "What do you intend to do Sera?"

"Obviously," she started before she ran over to the fireplace to get some coal, "I can't let an opportunity like this one pass me by." She leapt back over and started doodling on Bull's face. When she finished the qunari's mustache, she turned on her heels and offered the piece of coal to the commander. "Would you like to join in?"

Cullen walked over and snatched the burnt wood out of her hand. Instead of following Sera's whim, the Commander walked back to the fireplace and tossed the lump of coal back in. "I think you've had enough fun for one night, it would be best if you go get some sleep."

"Well you're no fun, they would have done this to me if the situation was reversed," Sera pouted. She was about to walk upstairs to her room when she got a brilliant idea.

"You know Commander, Ev would have done it," she said cunningly.

"The leader of the Inquisition would draw mustaches on her men?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "It's good for morale to joke around. You should really try it!" she walked up next to him and picked up the coal piece and placed it in his hand. "Don't lie to me now. You've known Varric longer than anyone, you must have wanted to mess with him at one point?"

"Well…"

_'__Gotcha!'_

"I _do_ own him for exposing my lack of dance skills… though it wasn't exactly _his_ fault, but…"

Sera couldn't believe she'd gotten the Commander interested. She would not let the opportunity to corrupt him slip through her grasp, "no buts! Just let your hand do the talking for you."

"You're a bad influence"

"Oh, I'm not a bad influence Commander," she gleamed, "but I can be _very_ persuasive".

"That you are." He crouched next to Varric and started outline the dwarf's eyebrows. The finished result made the dwarf look both anxious and sad.

"Exceptional work Commander, I can feel a boost of morale just by looking at them. Maybe you should take the coal with you to the barracks, just imagine the whole friggin' army looking like that."

He scratched the back of his neck nervously, "please don't tell anyone that I did this."

"Don't worry, I'll take the blame for both of us," she slapped him reassuringly on the back. And she would, just having him do this was enough to last her a lifetime.

"I didn't understand it at first, but I can see why Evelyn likes you; you're not as stiff as I thought."

"She likes me?" he said unable to hide his joy. "What do you thi…"

"Yes!" Sera interrupted him, "by the Maker, just talk to her! There's a great big hole in the sky, you don't have time to diddle around…" She walked over to the staircase in the middle of the room and jumped up the two first steps, "I would wait 'til she sobers up though, she might want to remember the conversation."

She ran upstairs to her room before Cullen could form the many questions swarming through his mind. She was just too tired to be a third-party in their courtship.

* * *

Sera couldn't tell if she'd woken from her own snoring or the persistent knocking on the door. She laid flat on her stomach across the bed in her room. Her pillow was dripping in drool and the air filled with the sour stench of wine.

She tried to ignore the knocks and go back to sleep, but the person on the other side wouldn't go away. The elf finally gave in and rose from the bed, she flung open the door and was about to give the busybody a piece of her mind.

Sera met with nothingness, she was about to slam the door shut when someone uttered an 'ahem'.

"Down here."

The elf looked down and met Scout Harding's green eyes, "sorry there Harding, didn't notice you."

"Oh I'll take that as a compliment!" Harding grinned, "Do you mind if I intrude for a moment?" she lifted a plate in her hands, "I bring food, courtesy of Commander Cullen."

Sera gave the porridge a greedy look; she accepted the plate and let Scout Harding enter her room. The dwarf placed the dish the table while Sera opened the window to let some fresh air in. The elf seated herself next to the table and gestured for Harding to join her. She was about to dig in when she wrinkled her eyebrows and studied it warily.

"He didn't make it, did he?"

"You mean Commander Cullen? Don't worry, he had the cooks make it for you; he suspected you wouldn't be well enough to go to the kitchen on your own."

Sera shrugged her shoulders, "he's not wrong." She took a bite of the porridge. "It's good... but it needs a little sugar," she said between bites, "could you pass me some? It's in the cupboard next to you."

"Sure!" Harding said willingly, she passed her the jar and watched as the elf buried her porridge in it.

Sera took another bite and grimaced as soon as the porridge touched her tongue, "oh, that bitch!" she yelped.

"Who's a ...?"

"Evelyn of course, she filled my sugar jar with salt," she shook her head. "I feel a little proud really, my ways are rubbing off on her."

She ate another spoonful, she wrinkled her eyebrows, "I have to get back at her though."

"You don't have to eat that if you don't want it, I can go get you another bowl."

"No it's fine, salt's better for a hangover anyway…" She stood up, "but I need more air though. You're free to join me on the roof if you want," and jumped out the window.

"I'm no good with heights I'm afraid, but I won't mind sitting by the window."

"Please do, it's no fun eating alone." She took another bite, "have you seen Varric and Bull today?" she wondered.

"I've only seen Varric, he seemed a little… _extra worried_."

Sera snorted.

"I asked him if he was okay," Harding continued, "he said he was fine, though he seemed a little taken aback by my wondering. Guess he haven't seen himself in the mirror today." She grinned, "your work of doubt."

"I might have been a part of it," Sera boasted, "but I can't take full credit."

"Though you will if he asks?"

Sera winked, "of course, why would I let anyone in on my glory?" She smiled and took another bite of her porridge. She let her eyes wander across the courtyard and up the battlements. "Well would you look at that," she said after a minute of silence.

"Look at what?" Harding wanted to know.

The elf used her spoon to point in the direction of the Commander's office. "Seems like the lovebirds are enjoying a nice stroll together."

Harding rolled her eyes, "well that's about time."

They watched as one of Leliana's messengers interrupted the nice walk. Sera burst out in laughter, spitting porridge all over herself and the roof.

"I feel bad for them, really I do. With this pace, they'll resolve their relationship at Cullen's wedding with Dorian," Harding joked.

"You might be right," Sera laughed and wiped Porridge off her legs.

"What are you girls so happy about?" Varric shouted by the entrance to the tavern.

Sera pointed in the direction of the battlements they were observing. Varric turned and shielded his eyes from the sun, he was fortunate enough to catch the long-awaited kiss between the Inquisitor and the Commander.

"Well shit, looks like Curly finally grew some and took charge of the situation," the dwarf smiled, "good for him."

"You say you're happy for him, yet you look so worried," Sera said sheepishly, "why's that?"

The dwarf tossed his hands in the air in exasperation, "why do people keep asking me if I'm worried today? I'm just a little worn-out because we drank last night, it's no big deal… happens to the best of us."

"Maybe they're concerned that Bull took away your innocence last night?"

"_Ha ha, _very funny!" Varric scoffed, "Nothing happened, I just rubbed his back when he puked, and we both fell asleep like that, no big whoop."

A mustachioed Bull emerged from around the corner of the tavern. "What's no big whoop?" he inquired.

"That we fell asleep together," Varric was about to roll his eyes at him, but snickered when he noticed the qunari's new facial feature. He coughed into his hand, "you look… unusually refined today Bull," the dwarf joked.

"And you look worried," the qunari pointed at his forehead, "what's going on with your eyebrows?"

"There's nothing going on with my eyebrows," he rubbed them in irritation. "Seriously, what's up with you people today?" When he let his hand fall back down, he noticed a black smudge on it. He clenched his jaw, "Bull? Do I have something on my forehead?"

"Yes," the qunari laughed, "you have two worried eyebrows drawn on."

Varric used his sleeve to wipe his brows, "looks like coal." He glanced up at Sera, "you won't know anything about this, would you?"

Iron Bull placed a hand on top of Varric's head, "don't sound so harsh. It's all in good fun."

"Oh yeah? Wipe your upper lip would you?" Varric challenged.

Bull did as the dwarf requested, he gave Sera a stern look when he found traces of coal on the back of his hand.

"Now who's being harsh?" Varric joked, then he gave Sera a serious glare, "kid, I'll give you a five minutes head start. I'd suggest you hide before Bull and I equip ourselves with ink and coal."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age

* * *

PART 5

* * *

Varric studied the blank slate of his newest masterpiece. He grinned and pulled out an inkpot from inside his coat. "What do you think Bull?"

Bull glanced at Sera's face and furrowed his brows.

The poor elf had been too hungover to escape the wrath of the men she had scorned. Even with Varric's generous head start, Sera had gotten no further than the keep when they caught up with her. Now she laid pinned down beneath a qunari trice her size.

"I think a full beard would be enough to satisfy my lust for revenge," Iron Bull answered after a few seconds of contemplation.

Sera tried to wrestle her way out of Bull's grip when Varric drew the first line on her jaw, but the strength in the qunari's massive tree trunk arms were too much for her to handle. The only thing her attempt at freedom gained her; was ink in her hair. Not wanting to ruin the golden locks on the top of her head, she stopped wiggling and laid silent as Varric did his painting.

When Varric finished Bull's request, he thought of what _he_ wanted as a revenge. It had been a pain to explain to everyone that he was, in fact, _not _worried… nor anxious. The dwarf deemed it only fair that she'd experience the same "pleasure" for a couple of hours.

He drew a couple of worried eyebrows, reminiscent of the ones covering his forehead. He nodded for Bull to let her go. "Now Sera, please leave your face like that for a couple of hours before you wash it off. Stay somewhere people can see you." He flashed her a wicked grin, "if you don't do as I say, Bull and I will be more than happy to repeat this process."

Sera gave the two males a sullen look and nodded before she stalked off to the tavern.

Varric put out his paw to shake Bull's hand. The qunari accepted and said "a pleasure doing business with you sir." They broke the shake and went their respective ways, eager to wash away all evidence from the previous night.

On his way up to the keep, Varric passed the Inquisitor on the stairs.

She stopped on the step right next to him when she noticed his new facial feature. "Why so worried?" she asked him jokingly.

The dwarf sighed and tossed his hands in the air. "Well, Sera made me a little anxious."

She winked, "clearly". Evelyn was about to walk on when Varric broke the news of his previous discovery.

"So you and curly huh?"

She stopped on the step below Varric, unable to hide the rapid change of color in her cheeks. "I don't know what you mean."

The dwarf crossed his arms, "don't be coy with me. I saw you on the battlements just now."

"Oh well… I guess the cat's out of the bag." She gave him a pleading look. "Would you please keep it to yourself for now? We want some time on our own before everyone knows."

He waved her off, "no problem. It's a nice change to see Curly care about something other than work."

"Now that you mention it. I've been wondering why you call Cullen that."

"Curly?"

"Yes, why is that?

"I think it's more effective if I show you." At her exciting nod, he hurriedly added, "Please just let me wash my face first. I sick of peoples concern."

Evelyn gave him a sly wink, "You shouldn't complain when people show they care for you."

"Heh, maybe not." He rubbed the back of his neck. Varric popped his eyes open when he remembered something crucial. "Oh by the way, Sera and Harding were there when I noticed you two lovebirds. You should tell them you want their discretion before everyone knows."

"Oh, thanks Varric! Do you know where I can find them?" she politely inquired.

The dwarf grinned, "I saw Sera recently, heading over to the tavern." He pointed in the direction of Herald's Rest.

The Inquisitor shook her head in a disappointed manner. "She shouldn't drink so much; it's bad for her complexion."

"You have no idea."

* * *

Sorry for late update and a slightly short Chapter, the next one will be longer. And in the Inquisitor's pov


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age

* * *

Part 6

* * *

Evelyn and Varric agreed to meet up after supper. The Inquisitor waved him goodbye and headed off to Herald's rest to locate Sera and Harding.

She spotted the elf as soon as she entered the establishment. Sera had seated herself in the bar, her back turned against the other patrons. This was rather an unusual behavior for the elf who would usually demand everyone's attention by cracking filthy jokes and laugh loudly at them.

The mage walked over and sat down next to her friend. Cabot, the barkeep, offered to pour Evelyn a beer, but she kindly refused. This seemed to perplex the man, but he said nothing as he wandered off to clean up a newly freed table on the other side of the room.

Evelyn placed her elbow on the counter and let her head rest on her hand, motionlessly observing the new features on Sera's right cheek. The elf said nothing while she slowly downed her beer. When she finished, she placed the glass on the counter and ordered a new one.

Sera sighed and turned to face her friend, "just say it already."

The Inquisitor had to slide her face down in her hand to muffle the sound of her laughter. The full frontal view of the elf's face was not exactly a picturesque sight, and came as a great shock.

The elf rolled her eyes and reached for the beer Cabot had poured her. She nipped to it while she waited for Evelyn to calm down.

When she finally did, Evelyn used her sleeve to dry away the tears that had popped up in the corners of her eyes. She sniffled and cleared her throat, "I don't know what you're talk, pfhhhh." Evelyn couldn't finish the sentence before Sera's additional face features became insanely funny again.

The elf waited impatiently for her friend to stop laughing, tapping her index finger on the counter in irritation.

Evelyn finally settled again, grasping for air. The lack of oxygen had painted her face red. "Maker, that was a good laugh!" She managed to articulate through the heaves. "Varric's work I presume."

She nodded in the direction of the qunari, seated in his usual spot beneath a window near the staircase. "And Iron Bull," she added.

Evelyn turned her head to look at the other perpetrator. She smiled and gave him a wink, earning herself a silent toast as Bull raised his tankard high enough for her to see it. "Whatever did you do to piss them off?" she said as she turned back to Sera.

"Tch, nothing really. It was all in good fun, but now I have to sit like this in public for a couple of hours. Feel my shame and all, redemption. I can't even sneak off and wash my face when Bull's there, watching my every move." She sighed, "Honestly, I look ridiculous. It feels like I'm wearing an Orlesian mask."

"Well… a cheap one," Evelyn joked. Sera scoffed as she took a greedy sip of her beer. "Tell you what though," Evelyn continued.

"What?"

"You saw Cullen and me up on the battlements… right?"

Sera took another greedy sip of her beer. "Yeah, and?"

"I'll let you wash your face if you keep your sighting to yourself," she answered cunningly.

The elf raised an eyebrow at her friend. "You embarrassed about Cully-Wully?"

"No!" Evelyn shouted a little too eagerly. Her face flushed a bright red when she noticed the curious stares she had earned from the other patrons. She lowered her voice and leaned closer to Sera. "No… I just… want us to get to know each other… without everyone watching us all the time."

"I guess I can understand that, I've been the single most interesting topic in the tavern the last hour. It must get tiresome to be the constant source of gossip." Sera gulped down the rest of her beer. "Though you won't get much time alone before people catch on. You're the Herald of Andraste and all, everyone's watching you already."

Evelyn sighed, "That they are… I just want to keep it from the public's eye, at least until we leave for Halamshiral."

"I'll keep it to myself, but it's only a matter of time before Leliana figures it out. I saw that poor man who interrupted you; he's one of hers after all."

Evelyn shrugged.

Sera cleared her bill with Cabot, before she jumped off her seat. "If it's okay with you," she said after she hit the ground with her feet, "I'll head off to my room now… wash up and stuff."

"Sure," Evelyn followed Sera's example and jumped off her seat. "Could you tell Harding as well? I'll clear up everything with Bull and Varric in the meantime. I know they want revenge and all, but I think you've suffered enough, this round at least."

"Yeah, yeah," Sera waved lazily and walked in the direction of the stairs. "Best wishes and all," she added before she headed up to her room.

* * *

Varric and Evelyn rendezvoused by the fireplace in the main hall after supper. They pretended to talk about the weather while they waited for Cullen to retire to his quarters, so Evelyn could be privy to the origin of the not-so-suited-nickname given by the dwarf.

Their conversation topic had changed to the many shapes a cloud could manifest when the Commander finally finished his meal. Vivienne had scolded the poor man and called his dinner etiquette appalling, deeming him ill qualified to represent the Inquisition at the Orlesian ball. She took it upon herself to educate him on proper manner, a rather time draining task when she expected nothing but perfection from the man.

When Vivienne finally freed him from her impromptu etiquette course, Cullen didn't venture to his office as Varric and Evelyn had hoped. The man proclaimed instead – as he passed them by the fireplace – that he wanted to spar with his soldiers before her retired for the evening.

"Well shit," Varric said when Cullen had walked out of earshot. "I've seen Curly train before; it could take hours before he goes to sleep."

Evelyn sighed, "Now what?"

The dwarf shrugged, "I guess we'll just have to follow him until he's sleepy then."

She raised an eyebrow, "you want us… to _stalk_ Cullen?"

"Stalking is such a bad word. I'm simply suggesting that we _observe_ the Commander while he train with the troops. It's not unusual that a leader would want to know what her general teach the soldiers under her banner."

"Well… when you put it like that." She flashed him a huge grin, "It seems rather justified."

"Girlie, I can justify most things."

"I'm sure you can," she snickered.

They followed Cullen down to the Barracks, keeping their distance so he wouldn't spot them. Evelyn had first suggested that they could just ask to watch the soldiers train, but Varric had insisted that the Commander would be too self-conscious if he knew she was there. Not that Evelyn though that would make any difference.

Varric knew of a good hiding spot, accessible by a hole in the roof, leading to an upper platform inside the barracks, only reachable with a ladder (or through the hole).

The room was spacious, with training dummies stacked against the wall; so the soldiers could hack and slash as they saw fit. The middle of the room was empty, a perfect space for sparring. Cullen would usually stand on the sideline and guide his soldiers while they faced each other, but now he proclaimed to his Templars that anyone who wanted to face him; would get the chance to do so tonight.

While the soldiers prepared to fight, Varric and Evelyn laid flat on their stomachs, hidden behind a supporting beam, strategically placed in front of the platform. No light illuminated the upper corner where they were situated, making it the perfect hiding spot for _observing_. They could barely distinguish each other's features.

.

.

.

"Why are you doing this anyhow?" Evelyn whispered to Varric.

He contemplated a second before he answered. "Well… there are two reasons for that," he whispered back.

"What's the first one?" Evelyn inquired.

"Well… you see; I had this strangest dream last night. I dreamt that Curly used a piece of coal to draw the worried eyebrows on me."

Evelyn gave him a pondering look, "That doesn't sound like something Cullen would do."

"I know, but I got this inkling feeling that he was as much a part of it as Sera was. Besides, it suits me better to be a couple of steps in front of him, not one behind."

_"_Well… Sera _is_ rather persuasive, and I know he followed her home this morning."

"Did he now? Why, and from where?"

The Inquisitor coughed nervously and avoided his question, deflecting it with one of her own. "What's the other reason?"

Varric huffed and rolled his eyes. "Well, as you pointed out. Curly isn't the greatest of nicknames these days. I want to make up a new one, one suited for the man everyone sees now." He glanced down at the Commander who was about to face his first opponent. "I take pride in my nicknaming. It should always be based on acute observation."

Evelyn zoned out as she watched Cullen bash his steel sword against the opposing Templar's shield, sweat drops forming on his forehead. "How about Blondie?" she said absentmindedly.

The dwarf next to her scoffed. "Already know a '_Blondie_', not a great fan of that one."

"Oh?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He traced Cullen's movements as he danced around his opponent. "How about Commander Pretty-boy?"

"I'm glad you think he's pretty, but that's maybe a nickname I should give him?"

"Or Dorian." Varric joked.

"Or Dorian..." Evelyn sighed. "What about Commander Neck-rub?"

He let out a hearty snort, "Not bad Inquisitor!"

"Well thank you. I take pride in my wit and my observation skills."

"As you should." Maybe I'll just latch onto Sera's 'Cully-Wully'; it _has_ a certain… ring to it."

"Curly seems to be more appropriate now." She pointed in the direction of the Commander, "Did you name him for his wavy hair?"

"Wavy doesn't begin to describe it_,_ but it's a start." Varric replied. "Just wait until he loses all control over it."

The second, third and fourth challengers tried and failed against the commander. Both his body and his hair started to show their exhaustion.

"It looks like it's getting worse now. Why have I never seen his hair like this? I've watched him train many times."

"Well, when you're not around, he isn't obsessively attentive to his hair. I noticed that he would always make sure to keep his hair down and smooth in your presence."

"And when he's not?" Evelyn pondered.

"He lets it curls up again," Varric shrugged.

The Inquisitor sighed, "I don't think I would have liked him less if he had curly hair when we first met."

"Don't be so certain." The dwarf grinned, "This hairstyle is a vast improvement from the way he wore it in Kirkwall. No wonder the Templar-Mage conflict broke loose in Kirkwall."

Evelyn snickered at his musing. "Well… you wanted to call him Commander Pretty-boy, I'm sure your opinion is undoubtedly unbiased."

They watched as Cullen took on fourth challenger. By the time he defeated his seventh and final challenger, the Commanders hair had receded back to its natural, curly state.

"What do you think of your loverboy now?"

"I still think he's handsome… I also think Curly is justifiable nickname after this sight."

"Maybe you're right. It's a classic name after all."

* * *

Thank you all for your continued support! My heart skips a beat every time I see a new notification from your following, favoring and reviewing my fic. It makes it even more rewarding to continue this story. I hope I'll make you laugh 'til the end.

If you like this story, you might also like my post-game story Of Pranks and Marriage where Cullen and Evelyn visit her parents. It also features Dorian and Sera.


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